Golf: Scott earns shot at Masters

MELBOURNE - Australian Adam Scott got what he felt he was entitled to in the wind and rain at Huntingdale yesterday.

It was good enough to give him a shot at the Australian Masters title and his first professional victory on home soil.

Scott battled through some brutal weather for the second successive day to shoot a three-under-par 69 that left him three shots behind surprise leader Steve Collins.

"I played pretty well and I don't think I left too many out there. I think I got what I deserved," Scott said.

Early in his round, though, he wouldn't have been so sure.

The player regarded by many as the next Greg Norman began the second round with three bogeys in his first five holes, turning a two-shot overnight deficit into a potential disaster.

He then eagled the 515m par-five sixth hole and sneaked around the turn in one-over.

Four birdies on the way home hauled him back up the leaderboard, leaving him poised for a weekend push toward his first Australian win.

While the appalling weather took its toll on the field, Scott was one who seemed unfazed by the conditions.

"It seems like I have played in this all year, it's no big deal at all," he said.

For Scott, a prominent position on the leaderboard is to be expected, but for Collins, the second round leader, it is almost unique.

A winner of one minor tournament in 10 years as a professional, Collins is in unfamiliar territory.

The first round leader after a four-under 68, Collins made an awful start to his round yesterday, bogeying the opening two holes.

A birdie two at the third hole halted the slide, but his resurrection began at the seventh hole where he started a run of four successive birdies and five in six holes.

It was all achieved without too much thought.

"My philosophy is to do the best I can and whatever happens, happens," Collins said.

He now takes on the previously unknown role of leading a tournament into the final two rounds.

Also in contention thanks to birdies at the 17th and 18th is Sydney's Peter Lonard.

Joint winner of last weekend's Australian PGA championship, Lonard is at two-under along with Scott Gardiner of New South Wales.

* The New Zealand team of Mathew Holten and Brad Iles shared fifth place after the first round of the international amateur teams event in Argentina yesterday.

Holten and Iles shot an even par 142 in the first round of an event which has attracted 16 nations. Holten led the way with a two-under-par 68 while Holten posted a 72.

They were five shots behind leaders Mexico, who lead thanks to an remarkable eight-under 63 by Daniel de Leon.

Australia, the Netherlands and England were three shots behind Mexico, while New Zealand shared fifth place with Scotland and South Africa.

- AGENCIES